Nine Oregon Football Players Head to NFL Scouting Combine

This week is a big chance for multiple Oregon Ducks to up their NFL draft stock. It’s combine week for the NFL in Indianapolis. You can catch all of the action on the NFL Network.

This year Oregon had nine players invited to participate. The number would have been much higher but Oregon was fortunate to keep several key pieces for another season including quarterback Dante Moore.

Still Oregon has a few players eyeing first round considerations. This will be another step towards them reaching those goals. Here is a quick look at those nine participants expected to compete.

The combine includes bench press, 40-yard dash and players running through several position-specific drills.

WR Malik Benson

Draft Projection: Late Round

Schedule: Drills Saturday, Bench Press Sunday

The FSU transfer was a a late-bloomer with his best play coming at the end of the season for Oregon. Which is likely the only reason Benson was invited to the combine. He’s being considered a very late round pick or possibly undrafted. Hopefully he can improve on that position in the combine later this week.

LB Bryce Boettcher

Draft Projection: Mid Rounds

Schedule: Drills Thursday, Bench Press Friday

The home grown hero will be one of the more interesting NFL draft targets. Remember, he’s already been drafted in the MLB by the Houston Astros. So he’s not limited to only playing football. I think there are a lot of teams that could value his blue-collar work mentality. Boettcher doesn’t take plays off and plays with real passion. He was a real leader of the Oregon defense the last couple of seasons.

DB Jadon Canady

Draft Projection: Late Rounds

Schedule: Drills Friday, Bench Press Saturday

The Ole Miss transfer was a staple of the Oregon defense this season. He was used in a variety of ways and was key in some of Oregon’s biggest plays. Canady will have to shine this week in Indy ultimately to get more eyebrows on him at Oregon’s Pro Day in March. This is one I think could sneak into the middle rounds with the right fit.

OL Alex Harkey

Draft Projection: Late Rounds

Schedule: Drills Sunday, Bench Press Monday

Harkey played tackle for Oregon but his NFL profile could be better at guard. So that is something he will have to showcase in Indy and later at Pro Day. He had an up-and-down season for the Ducks. He plays with a nasty streak and isn’t afraid of being physical. But he was often a liability in pass protection on the edge. Perhaps a move inside helps with that.

OL Emmanuel Pregnon

Draft Projection: Early Rounds

Schedule: Drills Sunday, Bench Press Monday

Pregnon is a guy that can push himself into the first round with the right team. He’s a terrific interior lineman that could really thrive in a run-heavy offense. Again he’ll need to perform well here and on Pro Day but he’s likely off the board in the second round hoping to land somewhere in the first.

TE Kenyon Sadiq

Draft Projection: First Round

Schedule: Drills Friday, Bench Press Saturday

Oregon’s ‘freak’ of a tight end is going to be the talk of the combine. I have no doubt he will test well and will have many GM’s examining him. The tight end position has really evolved in the NFL. And the athletic pass-catching tight ends find themselves being highly sought after. Sadiq can block as well so he doesn’t have many shortcomings. I don’t know if he will land in the top ten but it feels relatively safe to believe he’ll be a top 20 draft pick.

DB Dillon Thieneman

Draft Projection: Early Rounds

Schedule: Drills Friday, Bench Press Saturday

The versatile safety is fitting the mold of today’s NFL safety. He’s instinctive, a fluid athlete and a strong tackler and excels in coverage. You could see him being drafted as high as top 20 but he could slide into the second round. It will just depend on what GM decides to pull the trigger. This is step one of him cementing his position in the NFL draft.

RB Noah Whittington

Draft Projection: Late Rounds

Schedule: Drills Saturday, Bench Press Sunday

Whittington had some brilliant moments at Oregon. Originally he was questioned about not being a physical back but he rose to that challenge the last two seasons. He can catch the ball out of the backfield too. It’s going to be tough for Whittington battling size concerns for NFL play. Right now he’s just hoping to get drafted.

OL Isaiah World

Draft Projection: Mid Rounds

Schedule: Bench Press Monday

Unfortunately for World the news of a knee injury will likely hurt his NFL draft stock a bit. There are still some elite physical tools that an NFL GM will likely take a gamble on. He is not able to participate in drills due to the knee injury. He might do the bench press if he elects to but that would likely have minimal impact on his draft position. For now he needs to finish his rehab and prove to NFL GM’s he is healthy.